ELCJHL Staff Meet with SHO About Humanitarian Efforts
Staff from the ELCJHL and the DSPR - Department of Service to Palestinian Refugees, met with a delegation from Samenwerkende Hulporganisaties (SHO) and GIRO555 yesterday to discuss humanitarian aid being provided by ELCJHL and DSPR in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza to those impacted by the current crisis in the region. SHO is a Dutch coalition of humanitarian organizations including the Red Cross, UNICEF, Cordaid, and Kerk in Actie (Church in Action). ELCJHL Director of Operations Bassem Thabet, Education Director Eva Azar, and Diaconal Ministry Director Rana Zeidan sh...
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Lutheran Schools Host Football Tournament
Students from three of the Lutheran schools participated in the annual Football Tournament at the Evangelical Lutheran School of Beit Sahour. Students from ELS Beit Sahour, Dar al-Kalima Lutheran School, and Talitha Kumi School competed for the top prize. After several exciting matches, the Dar al-Kalima team won first place! The ELS Beit Sahour team were the runners up, and Talitha Kumi took third place. The tournament was facilitated by ELJCHL Education Director Eva Azar, the principals of the three schools, and the sports teachers. Congratulations to all our st...
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ELCJHL Signs MOU with Palestinian Justice Institute
His Eminence Bishop Dr. Sani Ibrahim Azar visited the Judicial Training Institute in Ramallah, where a memorandum of cooperation was signed between the church and the institute, paving the way for the integration of the church into the Palestinian justice system. The meeting was attended by His Excellency Judge Bilal Abu Hantash, His Excellency Judge Muhammad Al-Ajlouni, Ms. Naila Younis, Director General of Training, Ms. Duaa Al-Khayat, Legal Assistant of the Palestinian Judicial Institute, Ms. Nisreen Al-Barghouthi, Director of the Information Resources Department, and other PJI staff. ...
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ELCJHL Congregations Celebrate Thanksgiving
Today was Thanksgiving Sunday for many of our ELCJHL congregations. Despite the suffering of the last year and the current situation in the Holy Land, congregations came together this weekend to give thanks to God for all he provides. As the season of many important harvests begins we pray that the coming year will be one of abundance and peace. ...
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Bird Week at the Environmental Education Center
This week is the 24th National Bird Watching Week in Palestine! The Environmental Education Center has been hosting programming to mark this important week for conservation. On Tuesday, programming kicked off with a visit from Bishop Sani Ibrahim Azar to the EEC and Talitha Kumi. The event was attended by the Director of the Office of Environmental Quality in Bethlehem, Talib Hamid, EEC Director Simon Awad, the principals of the Lutheran Schools, and many students and teachers from Dar al Kalima, Talitha Kumi, and ELS Beit Sahour. During his remarks, Bishop Azar said this we...
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Diaconal Center Renovations Completed
Renovations on the Diaconal Center in Beit Jala were completed this month. These updates have made the center more accessible to elderly and disabled members of our community, and we are excited about the opportunities they give us to expand the mission of the Diaconal Ministry!...
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ELCJHL Pastors Attend the Ordination of Saleem Kasabreh
Today Bishop Sani Ibrahim Azar, Rev. Sally Azar, Rev. Ashraf Tannous, and Rev. Rodny Said participated in the ordination of Saleem Kasabreh to the sacred order of Deacons with our partners at Saint George's Anglican Cathedral. Congratulations to Rev. Saleem!...
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Education Staff Participate in Empowerment Activities
Today teachers at the Evangelical Lutheran School in Beit Sahour participated in psychological relief and empowerment activities organized by the ELCJHL Education Department. Reflection and self-care activities like these in a group setting play an important role in alleviating the pressures and stresses teachers face, which have been amplified by the difficult situation of the last year. This helps improve the educational environment for teachers and students alike! Thank you to our wonderful presenters from Wings of Hope in Bethlehem. Teachers from all the Lutheran schools w...
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Diaconal Center Renovations Begin
If you read our summer newsletter, you may have seen exciting changes happening at our Diaconal Center! Renovations are underway in the hallway, bathrooms, and kitchen sections of the center. These updates are primarily to make the center more accessible for elderly and disabled community members. Adapting the building to be more accessible will allow us to offer services and support to more people from the community, and make the Diaconal Center a more welcoming place for all. We hope to complete the project this fall....
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New School Year Begins
Today was the first day of school for the Evangelical Lutheran Schools! Students, teachers, and staff across the West Bank began classes for the 2024-2025 school year this morning. Please join us in our prayers for a safe and fruitful year of learning and growing together. In this difficult time in the Holy Land, access to education is more important than ever for children to build a strong future. The teachers and students of Gaza are on our minds and in our hearts today as they are unable to start the new school year. We keep up our prayers for a ceasefire and for thei...
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Teachers and Staff at Lutheran Schools Prepare for the New School Year
Teachers and staff are back to work at the Lutheran Schools preparing for students to arrive at the end of August. Last week, staff at Mahaba Nursery and Pre-School participated in a first aid workshop at Augusta Victoria Hospital prior to the first day of operation for the new year. Teachers at the Evangelical Lutheran School of Hope in Ramallah had intensive workshop sessions throughout last week, and workshops for Dar Al-Kalima Lutheran School, ELS Beit Sahour and Talitha Kumi began yesterday in Bethlehem. The ELCJHL Education Office organized these strategic trainings to help staff get...
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Gender Justice Team Meets with Sawasya Program
Bishop Sani Ibrahim Azar, Rev. Sally Azar, ELCJHL Gender Justice Ministry Director Ranan Issa, and Gender Justice Program Coordinator Shadin Nassar joined Al Hakimat Council representatives Judge Scarlet Bishara and Judge Sumoud Damiri in a meeting with members of the United Nations Development Program’s Sawasya Programme Palestine in Ramallah on Tuesday. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss current and future partnership opportunities between the Gender Justice Ministry and the Sawasya program as both work to create a more equal and just society for women in Palest...
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ELCJHL Says Goodbye to Aelabouni Family
Today marks the sending of a family very dear to the ELCJHL. Bishop-Elect Dr. Meghan Aelabouni, ELCA MENA Area Director Rev. Gabi Aelabouni, and their three children Ethan, Natalie, and Luke, conclude their five meaningful years of ministry with the ELCJHL today, embarking tomorrow back to the United States where Rev. Dr. Meghan will serve as Bishop of the ELCA Rocky Mountain Synod. Reverends Gabi and Meghan began their time with the ELCJHL as YAGM Co-Coordinators, which was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. We were blessed to continue ministry with them as Rev. Gabi stepped into his curre...
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Fourth Annual Gender Justice Conference
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land concluded on Wednesday, June 26, 2024 the activities of its fourth annual conference on “Gender Justice from the Perspective of Citizenship and Religious Perspective” under the slogan “Freedom and Reform,” aimed at promoting discussions on gender justice and equality.The conference was opened by His Eminence Bishop Dr. Sunni Ibrahim Azir, Archbishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, highlights his ongoing support for women's rights and involvement in leadership roles within the chu...
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Bishop Azar Visits Diocese of Strangnas in Sweden
Bishop Azar accompanied Bishop Johan in ordaining two new priests and two new deacons into service in the Swedish Church and the Diocese of Strängnäs last week.The bishop reminded that the anointed, just like the lost sheep on the shepherd’s shoulders, are always carried by God.Julia Diurlin Insulander will serve the year as a pastor adjunct in Torshälla congregation. Johnny Stigesjö will serve this year as a pastor adjunct in Hölö-Mörkö congregation. Pernilla Ljungberg serves as a deacon in Almby parish, Örebro pastorate. Frida Thunberg serve...
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Gender Justice Meetings with Governmental Ministries in Ramallah
Our Gender Justice Program Manager, Mrs. Ranan Issa, and ELCJHL Gender Justice Program Coordinator Ms. Shadin Nassar represented the ELCJHL’s Gender Justice Ministry alongside Bishop Azar and Judge Scarlet Bishara and Judge Sumoud Damiri of the Hakimat Council in Ramallah yesterday for two important meetings. The delegation first met with the office of Minister Mona Al-Khalil, Minister of Women’s Affairs in Palestine, and then the office of Justice Ali Muhanna, the Minister of the Supreme Constitutional Courts in Palestine. These official visits offered an...
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ELCJHL 2024 Graduation Season
This was the toughest year of all, and yet we saw steadfast academic commitment and dedication from the class of 2024. We honor the graduation of our Tawjihi (senior) class, and are so deeply proud of their accomplishments. We wish this year could have been one that nurtured and inspired our students in their educational journey, but students instead worked through unprecedented circumstances this academic year to reach their graduation. Of course, we hold in our hearts the 2024 Class of Gaza, many of whom are no longer with us, and none of whom could complete their scholastic ...
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Farewell Dinner for Dr. Charlie Haddad
Yesterday the ELCJHL, our COCOP partners, Father Issa Musleh, Father Yacoub Rafeedi, and Former Director of Education in Bethlehem Bassam Jaber gathered to celebrate Dr. Charlie Haddad and his two decades of brilliant ministry. Dr. Charlie’s work built up the ELCJHL educational system to go above and beyond top educational local and international standards. His passion and dedication to offering a top-tier education and form a new generation of peacemakers and leaders is evident in the achievements of ELCJHL graduates here and around the world. We as a church could not be more grate...
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Eastern Easter Greetings 2024
Bishop Azar and a delegation from the ELCJHL visited the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem this morning alongside delegations from all other Jerusalem Christian denominations to exchange Easter greetings for the occasion of Eastern Easter.Bishop Azar announced to the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem congratulations to Bishop-elect Rev. Dr. Meghan Johnston Aelabouni, currently serving the ELCJHL.This important gathering of Christians served as a space for our Patriarchs and Heads of Churches to express their sorrow for the continuous death and destruction in Gaza, and hopes ...
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Eastern Easter Greetings at the Armenian Patriarchate 2024
Bishop Azar and a delegation of the ELCJHL visited the Armenian Patriarchate today to exchange greetings on the occasion of Easter....
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